The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for opening and erecting substantially flat-lying, folded blanks, preferably folded box blanks.
Several methods and apparatuses for opening and erecting flat, folded box blanks are known. One of these known devices is that described in the German Offenlegungsschrift No. 22 50 667 according to which the erection of the flat, folded box blank takes place by grasping a long side of the box with a suction device and to move the front edge of the box against a stop. In this known apparatus, the box is carried by the suction device so that gravity acts on the side walls of the box and thereby supports the effort of erecting the box. When the blank is being transported in the upright position, both sides of the box are grasped by pairs of suction devices which force the box to open.
One of the detriments of this known apparatus in which suction devices are used on both sides of the box blank, is that the motion control of the suction devices requires substantial constructional expense and another disadvantage is that this known apparatus does not insure the reliable opening of folded box blanks because the effect of gravity does not provide a forcible opening of the box blank.
Yet another disadvantage of the known apparatus is that folded blanks cannot be opened from any desired position. In particular, the known apparatus is incapable of opening boxes from many common and preferred original positions.